


Best of Both Worlds

by Rosalind2013



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste is bitter but with good reason, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Hannah Montana AU, Ladrien June, Popstar!Ladybug, a sprinkle of Sonny with a Chance, ladrien, secret identity shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 20:55:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19070509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosalind2013/pseuds/Rosalind2013
Summary: Marinette is an ordinary girl who just so happens to double as Ladybug, a chart topping teen pop sensation. The self indulgent Hannah Montana AU nobody asked for!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’m writing this for Ladrien June 2019. I’ll be loosely incorporating prompts where they fit, but ultimately this fic is gonna go where it wants!
> 
> Prompts: Famous and Secrets

With a blanket draped over her shoulders as a shield from the chill of the air conditioning, Marinette sat crosslegged on the couch with a plate of cookies in her lap. The news played quietly on the tv as she nibbled on a chocolate chip cookie. It wasn’t the most nutritious breakfast, but she figured she deserved a little treat after the grueling summer tour her record label had booked for her. She had finally arrived back in Paris the night before, and while she was exhausted, she couldn’t wait to see the coverage of her concert in London.

She’d pulled out all the stops when designing that particular stage outfit, since that concert would be filmed for her new song’s music video. Though she told herself she didn’t need validation, she wanted to see what people thought of the ensemble anyhow.

“-In other news, pop sensation Ladybug has once again taken the world by storm. Her second world tour finished with a bang in London. Just look at this outfit!” One of the reporters said as a clip played on the screen.

Just as she hoped, the red fabric of her top flowed beautifully as she moved around on stage. The contrast with the lighter blue of her new wig was stunning.

Marinette squealed in delight and almost dropped her cookies. Seeing her creations on the television screen was always exciting, no matter how many times it happened.

The other reporter responded enthusiastically, “That’s right, Jacques! Can you believe she designs her own clothes?”

“That’s definitely impressive,” Jacques said. “Especially considering that she’s only sixteen years old.”  
The other reporter nodded, “Her new single has been topping the charts for the past three weeks. Ladybug’s been on the scene for three years, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down.”

Marinette bit into another cookie, doing a happy little dance. It seemed like only yesterday that she heard her song on the radio for the first time.

“I’m so proud of you, dear,” her mother said, startling her out of her reverie.

“Aw thanks, Maman,” she said with a bashful smile.

Sabine took a seat on the couch next to her. “You know, everyone would be wearing Marinette Originals if they knew you were Ladybug,” her mother said with a gentle smile.

Marinette rolled her eyes good-naturedly, “Maman. I have enough on my plate as it is.”

Sabine chuckled and raised her hands placatingly. “I know, dear,” she said.

Marinette grinned, “Between school and Ladybug stuff, I don’t have time to design a fashion line.”

Sabine hummed as if she were deep in thought.

“You know, I seem to remember you said the same thing about becoming a pop star,” her mother teased.

“That was before I had a secret identity ,” Marinette said through a mouthful of cookie.

Sabine laughed and headed toward the kitchen.

“How about we get you some real breakfast before your first day back at school?” Her mother suggested.

Marinette frowned at her cookies and took one more bite before dutifully following her mother to the kitchen.

…

Adrien wasn’t sure what he had done to deserve being awakened at five in the morning on a Monday, but he was determined to sleep an extra hour regardless of what his schedule looked like. He yanked the plug of his alarm clock out of the wall and rolled over, intent on going back to sleep. For a few blissful minutes, Adrien danced on the border of sleep and wakefulness, but all good things must come to an end.

The door to his room slammed open with a bang and Adrien groaned as the lights flipped on.

“Rise and shine, pretty boy. We’ve got a full day ahead of us,” a very familiar, very annoying voice called.  
“Go away,” Adrien growled, pulling his pillow up over his head.

“Eh, I don’t think I will,” the voice replied.

The pillow disappeared from over his head, and the full force of his room’s ridiculously bright lights hit his face.

Adrien opened his mouth to complain and found himself tumbling toward the ground. Rage ignited within him, and he was on his feet in a flash, whirling to face his manager with a displeased glare.

“Good. You’re up,” Plagg remarked, snarky tone grating on Adrien’s nerves. His entirely black suit was impeccably pressed despite the air of general disarray that he exuded.

“I hate you,” Adrien said.

“Feeling’s mutual, kid,” his manager replied, before turning on his heel and striding through the door with the attitude of a person who thrived in chaos.

Adrien glared at the door Plagg left wide open for a few seconds before he slammed it shut. Adrien glanced mournfully at his bed, but ultimately headed to the closet to grab his clothes for the day.

He passed over the rows of immaculate business casual attire it seemed his father still hoped he would wear, and picked a black tee and a pair of distressed jeans. Adrien changed, brushed his teeth, deliberately tousled his hair and headed down to the echoing chamber of a dining room to grab his breakfast.

He absently scrolled through his social media as he ate, beating down his wistfulness at seeing his acquaintances smiling and having fun at the movie premiere he was forced to attend last night. He was tagged in a few pictures, and his stomach turned at the image of himself with Chloe Bourgeois.

Of course she’d wanted to seen with him after his music video had been trending last week.

It was so typical of her.

Her gold cocktail dress stood out well next to his leather jacket, her arm was looped through his, and the false smiles they both wore sickened him.

Adrien checked the other photos he was tagged in and, despite the fact that they were all with different people, he found varying shades of fake smiles on his part. He wasn’t any better than Chloe, it seemed.

He closed the app.

…

Marinette headed to class with her black hair tied up into what she hoped was a decent looking bun. A little under-eye concealer and mascara disguised the fact that she was still very much jet lagged, and her mother had been kind enough to iron the wrinkles out of her simple pink outfit.

The classroom was already full of friendly greetings as her classmates welcomed everyone who had missed the summer term. Their particular class was special, because everyone in it was placed there because extenuating circumstances often caused them to miss large chunks of class at a time.

Circumstances that merited placement in the class included various advanced internships, training regimens, and touring schedules. Alya interned at a popular teen magazine, and Nino’s internship was in movie production. The attendance policy was lax, but each person worked with Ms. Bustier to ensure that they received the best education possible.

“Marinette! Welcome back!” Nino called from his place next to Nathanael, who was sketching quietly.

Marinette approached them with a smile, and Nathanael glanced up from his graphics tablet long enough to wave. He was always hard at work on his webcomic, but he looked especially stressed today.

Marinette turned to Nino for an explanation. Nino shrugged helplessly.

“He’s gotta finish before the comic expo,” Nino explained.

Marinette furrowed her brow.  
“But don’t you have until next Tuesday to submit it to your editor?” She asked.

Nathanael nodded, eyes still trained on his tablet.

“Yes, but the expo is going to take away three workdays and this installment is really plot heavy,” he explained.

“Oh. Let me know if there’s any way I can help,” Marinette offered.

Nathanael smiled gratefully, “Thanks. You could help with line art once I get the sketches down, if you want.”

Marinette grinned, “Just send the files my way and I’ll get it done!”

“Ah, Marinette: the line art wizard,” Alya said, popping into the conversation with a laugh.

Nathanael chuckled, “She’s really great at it.”

Marinette shrugged, “It’s not that hard to trace over Nath’s sketches. I bet even Alya could do it.”

Alya gave Marinette a playful shove, and the two girls devolved into giggles.

“Alright class, settle down,” Ms. Bustier called.

Everyone quickly made their way to their seats and faced the front. Marinette could tell that a sizable chunk of their class was missing.

“As I’m sure you’ve all noticed, Kitty Section is still on tour, so we have a lot of empty seats today. Make sure to congratulate your classmates on a job well done when they return on Wednesday. Now, let’s get started!”

Marinette fought hard to stay awake in the first half of class, but she was feeling a bit more lively by the time lunch break came around.

Alya and Nino made small talk on the way to her house, but as soon as they passed through her doorway, Alya whirled around with excitement shining in her eyes.  
“So? How was the world tour?” Alya demanded.

Marinette beamed and bounced in place.

“Oh it was so fun, but very tiring,” she admitted.

Nino nodded understandingly as he took a seat at the table, “I bet.”

Alya leaned forward in her chair eagerly, “Was that a new wig I saw in the photos?”

Marinette nodded enthusiastically, “Yeah, do you like it?”

Alya gave her two thumbs up.  
“It’s great! If I didn’t know any better, I’d think it was real,” her best friend said.

Nino was already eating, and he didn’t seem particularly interested in the current conversation. The girls settled down a bit to eat, and Marinette peppered their time together with stories about her adventures in the cities she visited.

The door to the house creaked open and Marinette’s manager entered with an easygoing smile. Her red hair and blue eyes matched her cheerful personality perfectly.

“Good afternoon!” Tikki called, placing her briefcase by the door and making her way toward the gathered teens.

Though she was small, she still commanded attention wherever she went. The teenagers gave her various greetings, and she took a seat at the table with a strained smile.

“Is something wrong, Tikki?” Marinette asked.

Tikki blinked innocently and smoothed her blazer.

“Why do you assume something is wrong?” She asked.

“You’re wearing the bad news blazer,” Marinette deadpanned.

Tikki scowled, her freckled nose wrinkled in distaste. “Bad news blazer? This the one I use for important meetings, Marinette.”

Marinette quirked an eyebrow at her. “Important meetings with Mr. Agreste.”

“Those are never good,” Alya said.

“Bad news blazer,” Nino repeated.

Tikki huffed, “Fine, you’re right. It is bad news.”

Marinette straightened up and mentally prepared herself for whatever Tikki had to say.

“Mr. Agreste feels that your proposed album is lacking substance. He wants you to rework a few songs before it can be released,” Tikki said with a heavy sigh.

“Lacking substance? How? Why?” Marinette asked, burying her face in her hands.

Tikki grimaced apologetically, “He says they’re uninspired.”

All three teens gasped.

“Uninspired!?” Marinette squeaked.

Alya patted her friend’s shoulder in a comforting gesture.

“Don’t sweat it, Marinette. That guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Nino said.

“Yeah, he wouldn’t know uninspired if it hit him in the face,” Alya said with a roll of her eyes.

Tikki giggled and shook her head. “We still have time, but that deadline is going to be here fast. I want to get a head start on studio sessions, so I need you to come in this weekend.”

Marinette sighed at the thought of giving up her weekend plans, but nodded her assent.

“Hey, we’ll come with you,” Alya offered.

“You don’t have to do that! It’s gonna be boring,” Marinette warned.

Nino laughed, “Are you kidding? I’m never bored in a studio.”

Alya gave him a flat look, “What about that time you helped with Chloe’s album?”

Nino shuddered. “I thought we agreed to never speak of that again.”

Alya laughed at Nino’s expense, and though he made a face at first, he eventually laughed too. Marinette joined in, and suddenly the prospect of spending the weekend reworking her songs didn’t seem quite so bad anymore.

...

 

Adrien yawned as he took a seat beside Plagg in the “important meeting” he wasn’t allowed to miss. The vaguely familiar faces of talent managers filled the conference room, and Adrien was already looking for a way to escape before his father showed up.

He spotted the restroom across the hall and remembered that there were two entrances.

Jackpot.

Adrien pasted on a smile and rose from his seat. “Excuse me. I’ll be right back,” he said, turning toward the door.

He half expected Plagg to yank him back by his shirt, but the man sat quietly sipping his coffee instead. Adrien was almost out the door when Plagg spoke.

“If ya run into any trouble in there, just let your bodyguard know,” Plagg called after him.

Adrien paused in the doorway and eyed his manager quizzically.

“Yeah, I stationed him right outside the second door for your convenience,” Plagg said, grinning like the cat that got the canary.

Adrien shot him a scathing glare and proceeded to the restroom, frustrated by the fact that Plagg had outsmarted him again. Adrien stood before the mirror, seething with anger as he checked his appearance.

Adrien glanced at the door that was supposed to be his escape route and took a few deep breaths to compose himself. His hand lingered on the doorknob for a second before he opened the door.

Sure enough, his bodyguard stood there eyeing him with the distrust of a man who had been duped one too many times.

“Any chance you’ll let me go?” Adrien asked, flashing his most convincing smile.

The man frowned and shook his head one decisive time.

“Well, it was worth a shot,” Adrien sighed, retreating back into the restroom and toward the dreaded meeting.

His father was already there when he arrived, and Adrien made his way to his seat with an air of nonchalance he didn’t really feel.

“Glad you could make it, Adrien,” Gabriel said, sounding more patronizing than glad.

Two could play at that game.

“Glad _you_ could make it, Father,” Adrien shot back, grinning when his father’s expressionless mask momentarily faltered.

Plagg expertly hid his laugh in a cough.

“Let’s get started,” Nathalie Sancoeur ordered, immediately dispersing the awkwardness and calling the room to order.

Gabriel inclined his head at Nathalie in a signal for her to begin. She cleared her throat and glanced down at her tablet.

“Firstly, we would like to congratulate Ms. Chanceux on a very successful summer tour. The media coverage for Ladybug has been phenomenal. It is good to have you back,” Nathalie said dispassionately.

Nevertheless, Ladybug’s manager looked thrilled to bits. Adrien always found her mildly annoying, but he suspected it was only because of his general dislike of Ladybug.

“That is not to say that you are exempt from critique,” Gabriel said in a frosty tone. “Nathalie will provide you with a list of songs that must be revised.”

Ms. Chanceux’s face fell in an almost comical manner. “Oh.”

Gabriel Agreste gestured vaguely with his hand, “They are uninspired. Dull. Lackluster.”

Adrien muffled a snicker. It seemed even Ladybug wasn’t beyond his father’s reproach. After three years of glowing reviews on her designs, coveted pats on the back, and general special treatment from Gabriel, Adrien was beginning to wonder if she’d ever mess up.

“Adrien,” Gabriel said cooly.

The icy indifference of his tone held a threat, and Adrien internally cringed.

“Yes?” Adrien responded, steeling himself for the inevitable insult.

“Your songs are much more problematic. They will be reworked as well,” Gabriel said.

Adrien clenched his jaw and glared daggers at his father. Plagg stared back at Gabriel with a bored expression.

“We’ll get started on that right away. I’m sure Ms. Sancoeur will send me a list of grievances, as usual,” Plagg said, nearly imperceptible venom in his voice. Adrien felt an odd sort of comfort in Plagg’s reaction, despite his general distaste for the man.

Gabriel motioned for Nathalie to continue with the meeting, and she revealed that he was planning to revamp everyone’s look for the upcoming season. Nathalie urged each talent manager to make an appointment in which they would be going over the changes with their clients.

Adrien glanced around the room at the impassive faces of the talent agents and gauged how quickly he could make his escape.

“Meeting adjourned-”

Adrien was up and out the door before Nathalie was even finished speaking, hands stuffed in his pockets as he took a sharp turn to ditch his bodyguard and then made his way into the service elevator.

The doors opened into the bustling intake area, and Adrien snuck past some particularly blabby security guards, grabbed the nondescript hoodie the bored janitor offered him, fist bumped the delivery truck driver, and slipped out into the open air.

“Freedom,” he sighed, pulling the hood up over his head and stepping onto the streets of Paris.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: Innocent and The Press.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to clarify that Marinette’s secret identity scenario here is inspired by emblian’s hair dye AU gifs on Tumblr (where Marinette’s natural hair is black & her eyes are grey, and both turn blue when she becomes Ladybug).
> 
> I also eliminated Marinette’s crush on Luka because her life is complicated enough in this AU.

Marinette bounded into class on Wednesday with a wide smile. Alya wouldn’t be there because of a big project, but the members of Kitty Section were finally back, and she couldn’t wait to see them.

When she arrived, they were being bombarded by her fellow classmates. Marinette laughed when Rose spotted her and launched herself forward at light-speed. Marinette caught the exuberant blonde and hugged her close.

“Marinette! I’m so happy to see you!” Rose squealed.

“It’s been so long!” Marinette said, squeezing Rose tightly.

“Like forever,” Juleka said, hovering over Rose’s left shoulder as if she wanted to be close, but wasn’t quite comfortable initiating a group hug.

It was true. Their touring schedules didn’t line up, so Marinette hadn’t seen the members of Kitty Section in months. She hadn’t even run into them as Ladybug, which was odd since they were signed to the same record label.

Rose guided Marinette over to where their other classmates were gathered and presented her like a trophy. Ivan gave her a fist bump and Luka mussed her hair playfully.

Marinette pouted and smoothed it back down.

“Hey, Marinette! Long time, no see,” he said with a bright smile.

Luka Coffaine had the unique ability to evoke a sense of calm in most everyone he encountered. His laid back personality allowed him to befriend people no one else would ever be able to reach, and Marinette really admired that about him.

“Hey! How was the summer tour?” Marinette asked.

“Great. Yours?” He asked.

Marinette giggled, “Probably a lot less exciting! It wasn’t a tour, I was interning at the fashion label in London all summer.”

Luka shrugged, “I’m sure you were great.”

“Why is no one paying attention to me?” A shrill voice demanded.

Marinette didn’t need to turn around to know who that voice belonged to. The temperature of the room dropped a few degrees, and her classmates lapsed into uneasy silence.

Chloe Bourgeois marched into the middle of the room with an angry scowl. Her expression changed the instant she spotted the members of Kitty Section.

“Oh, it’s you,” she said, feigning disinterest.

Luka waved at her, and Chloe made her way over as if it were some sort of chore. She stood before the members of Kitty Section and inspected her fingernails.

“I suppose your tour wasn’t absolutely horrible,” she said.

Rose giggled, “We’ll take that as a compliment.”

Chloe scoffed, “Good, because it’s the closest thing to a compliment you’ll get.”

Marinette rolled her eyes.

“Did you get the invitation to our End of Summer bash?” Luka asked Chloe, patient as usual.  
Kitty Section had invited the entire class and a myriad of famous musicians. It was gearing up to be a high profile party, and Chloe would be daft to turn down an invitation.

Chloe flashed a sickly sweet smile. “Of course! I wouldn’t miss it,” she said.

The whole class murmured their assent. After all, it wasn’t every day they got invited to an event of that caliber.

“What about you, Marinette?” Luka asked.

Marinette shifted nervously. Ladybug had gotten an invitation too, so Marinette obviously couldn’t attend.

“I wish I could, but I have a really busy weekend!” she said. It wasn’t a lie. She was always busy.

“Aww! I wish you could come! We’ll miss you,” Rose said, all sincerity.

“I won’t,” Chloe snapped.

Marinette was sure that was sincere too.

Luka gave her a warm smile. “That’s okay! There’s always next time,” he said.

Nino arrived just before Ms. Bustier did, and the class scrambled to get into their seats. Once seated, their teacher greeted them warmly.

“Good morning, class! And welcome back,” she said, nodding toward the newly filled desks.

“Before we get started, I’d like to talk a bit about professionalism. As a class, let’s discuss how to conduct ourselves in a manner that commands respect. As young professionals, I’m sure you’ve learned some great things,” Ms. Bustier said.

“Simple. You put people in their place. That’s how it’s done in the professional world,” Chloe said with a flip of her hair.

“That’s an…interesting perspective, Chloe,” Ms. Bustier said with a strained smile.

Marinette straightened up in her seat.

“Actually, if there’s anything I’ve learned from working at Papillon Records, it’s that the best way to command respect is to treat others with respect.” Marinette said.

“Oh don’t act like you’re so high and mighty, Marinette,” Chloe spat. “You and your little design internship at Papillon Records are a joke. If you were a real professional like the rest of us, you’d be working at a proper fashion house.”

Marinette growled in frustration and opened her mouth to release a scathing retort, but Nino’s steadying hand on her shoulder diverted her attention. Marinette took a centering breath.

“Marinette is a real professional, Chloe. Everyone here has different perspectives, and diversity is a wonderful thing. Please try to be more considerate,” Ms, Bustier said in a disapproving tone.

Max glanced up from his current robotic project to glare in Chloe’s direction.  
“If Marinette were not a professional, she would not qualify this class,” he said matter-of-factly.

Chloe pursed her lips and turned away, “Whatever.”

…

“Kitty Section’s party is next Saturday,” Plagg said in a bored tone.

“I’m not going,” Adrien said, eyes focused on the sheet music he’d been staring at for the past two hours.

He played a few chords on the keyboard and huffed in annoyance when they still didn’t seem right.

Plagg raised an eyebrow at him in question. Adrien did his best to ignore the way Plagg’s eyes were boring into the back of his skull, but he could feel his resolve slipping. That look never ceased to get under Adrien’s skin.

“What?” Adrien demanded.

“Well, you’ve finally managed to surprise me,” Plagg said.

Adrien scoffed and crossed his arms defensively.

“The chords weren’t that bad,” Adrien argued.

Plagg shook his head.

“Not that. You get a golden opportunity to get outta here and party with your friends, and you turn it down?” Plagg said with a dry laugh. “You’ve gotta be the weirdest kid I’ve ever met.”

Adrien rolled his eyes and scribbled out a line of the song he was working on.

“I don’t have any friends,” Adrien said evenly.

He positioned his fingers over the keys and played another few chords.

“Well, according to the press, you do. We need the publicity,” Plagg said.

Adrien struck the wrong key.

“I have enough publicity,” Adrien said with a carefully neutral face.

“Let me clarify. You need good publicity.” Plagg said with a roll of his eyes.

Adrien laughed humorlessly. “I thought you said any publicity is good publicity?”

Plagg grinned.

“Oh, but imagine the speculation about why you didn’t show up,” he said.

Adrien caught his drift and sighed. “It could be bad for Kitty Section,” he surmised.

“Bingo. That’s why you’re showing your face at that party whether you like it or not. Sneak out the back door if you have to, but do not mess this up for them,” Plagg said, a threat in his voice.

Adrien weighed his options. Of all the people he could be stuck with, he supposed Kitty Section wasn’t the worst. Actually, their parties tended to be much more authentic than the usual events he was forced to attend. It wouldn’t be too terrible to make a quick appearance.

“Fine, I’ll go to the stupid party,” he said.

“Good.” Plagg clapped Adrien on the back and walked out of the studio, whistling cheerfully. At least he closed the door that time.

Adrien shook his head and repositioned his hands over the keyboard. Oddly enough, the rest of the melody came much more easily than before.

…

It was a Friday night and Marinette had been in the studio working on her songs for almost ten hours. Nino had fallen asleep under the sound board and Alya was only semi conscious where she sat beside Marinette on the couch. Marinette scrubbed her burning eyes and checked the clock. It was 4:35 in the morning.

“You ready to call it a night?” Alya asked through a yawn.

Marinette shook her head.

“I’m in the zone,” she said.

“If you say so,” Alya replied, looking rather skeptical.

Truthfully, it didn’t do much good to be in the zone when she couldn’t keep her eyes focused anymore. Marinette had been stuck on the bridge of this particular song for a good while.

Alya’s head dipped as she lost consciousness and began to teeter toward the floor. The girl jerked awake with a scowl and sat up straight again.

Marinette resisted a laugh at her friend’s exhausted state.  
“You can go to sleep if you want. I’ve got a few blankets stored in the coffee table,” Marinette offered.

“I’m gonna do that. If you’re gonna stay up, you should take a walk or something,” Alya suggested.

“Good idea,” Marinette said, rising to give Alya the whole couch.

Marinette sincerely doubted anyone would be out and about at such an odd hour, but it was better to err on the side of caution. Though her cover story justified “Marinette’s” presence at Papillon Records most of the time, a fashion design intern had no business accessing the studios after business hours. She had to be Ladybug to roam the halls in the wee hours of the morning.

Marinette tucked her hair into her wig cap and pulled her wig on with practiced ease. She’d never taken out the blue contacts she wore to the studio that morning, so that wasn’t something she needed to worry about. She did a quick check in the mirror and frowned at the contrast between the tidy wig and her haggard appearance. She mussed her wig a bit and exited the studio.

Ladybug closed the door as quietly as possible, careful not to disturb the sleeping occupants. She began walking aimlessly through the halls before she remembered that the vending machine on the third floor had bottled cold coffee.

Ladybug set a course for the third floor, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for the elevator. The mirrored doors began to open with a beep, and she squeezed through the little space before they were even fully open.

To her immense surprise, the elevator was not empty. Her foggy brain took a little while to recognize him because he was usually a lot more put together, but the person standing there was definitely Adrien Agreste.

Those unmistakable green eyes narrowed in disdain and Ladybug briefly considered stepping right back out of the elevator. She was much too tired to deal with him.

But then it would take her longer to get the coffee, and he would think he’d intimidated her.

“Ladybug,” he said by way of greeting.

Adrien Agreste had a way of saying her name that was somehow both dismissive and venomous. It actually reminded her a lot of the way Chloe said “Marinette Dupain-Cheng”.

Ladybug ignored him and turned to press the button, only to realize that the elevator was already headed to the third floor. She leaned against the back of the elevator as it slid shut and began to move. Adrien was busy scrolling on his phone, so she snuck a peek at him out of curiosity.

He wore baggy joggers, old orange sneakers, and a black v-neck that was so faded it was actually grey. The little bit of blond hair that peeked out from under his hat was a tangled mess. She’d never seen him so disheveled. He almost looked like a normal teenager.

Ladybug felt the stirrings of compassion sparking in her heart, but the scowl he sent when he caught her staring snuffed them out.

“Can’t keep your eyes off of me?” He taunted.

Normally, a comment like that would spark an argument, but Ladybug didn’t have the energy for it. Actually, he didn’t seem very energetic either.

“You look awful,” Ladybug said.

It was true. There were dark circles under his eyes and his skin was pallid.

“Right back at ya,” he shot back, smirking when her mouth twisted down in anger.

“Ugh, you’re so- so…” Ladybug scrambled for words to characterize the thorn in her side.

“Handsome? Talented? Charming?” He supplied, ticking the words off on his fingers.

“Infuriating!” Ladybug corrected him with a huff.

Adrien’s insufferable grin stayed in place while he leaned forward as if sharing a secret.

“I guess that’s one thing we have in common, Bug,” he whispered.

Ladybug rolled her eyes and prayed that they would arrive on the third floor soon.

“I heard your songs were garbage. I suppose that’s why you’re here at four in the morning on a Saturday,” Adrien said, as if he were talking about the weather.

Ladybug glared at him.

“They’re not garbage. They just needed revisions,” she said, crossing her arms defensively.

“Uninspired,” Adrien said, raising his hands to make air quotes.

Ladybug blinked in surprise.

“I was there, you know. I heard what he said.” Adrien said, eyes hard in a way that reminded her of his father.

“Then what are you doing here at four in the morning on a Saturday?” She challenged.

Something indecipherable flashed in his eyes before he settled on his signature smirk.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

The elevator finally opened and he gestured to the door.

“After you,” he said cooly, as if he hadn’t just been antagonizing Ladybug.

She stepped out with a sniff and turned left toward the vending machine. Forget Adrien Agreste and his perpetually sour mood, the cold coffee was calling her name.

It took her a second to realize that they were both walking in the same direction. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

“Are you going to the vending machine?” She asked.

Adrien sighed wearily, “I need coffee.”

“Same here,” Ladybug said.

They stopped in front of the machine, and Ladybug’s blood ran cold. There was only one cold coffee left.

Adrien seemed to realize it at the same time, and suddenly they were racing to dig the change out of their pockets. Adrien found his first and lunged for the machine, but Ladybug swatted the money out of his hand before he could fit it in the slot.

She finally procured the money from her pocket while he stooped to snatch his own off the ground.

Adrien hip checked her, but it wasn’t enough to throw her off course. She grabbed hold of the machine with her left hand while he tried his hardest to wedge himself between her and the slot. Ladybug strained to push her other arm past him.

She finally shoved her money into the slot with a triumphant shout, and Adrien huffed in frustration. Ladybug snatched the coffee from the machine’s dispenser with gusto and waved it tauntingly as she marched back toward the elevator.

Adrien followed her, so she tightened her grip on the coffee and eyed him with distrust.

“I get it. You won fair and square, Ladybug,” Adrien said, expression softening as he stepped forward.

She raised a skeptical eyebrow, “Really?”

“You probably need it more. I mean, this is your first time pulling a long night,” he said, voice dropping pleasantly as he reached out and trailed his fingers over the back of Ladybug’s hand. She stiffened at the unexpected contact, and he flashed her a disarming smile.

“I mean, if either of us deserves the last coffee…” he said softly.

Ladybug’s traitorous heart leapt in her chest at the hypnotic intensity in his beautiful green eyes. His fingers wrapped around hers and her head felt like it was spinning.

“It’s me,” he finished, flashing an impish smile as he slipped the drink from her hand and disappeared behind the closing elevator doors.

“Ugh! You stole my coffee, you jerk!” She exclaimed, stomping her foot childishly.

Stupid Adrien Agreste, with his stupid smile, and his stupid green eyes.

He was infuriating.

And if he thought she would forget about his coffee theft, he was dead wrong.

 

 

 


End file.
